Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-08-09
ACROSS THE ISLAND.
TRIP OVER MERRlE ENGLAND
ON A TRICYCLE..
Robert p. Porter's Experiences Pedalipg
Over the Highways and Byways OF
Britain-The Run from London to Gull
ford Pleasantly Told and Pictured.

Especial Correspondence
LONDON, July IS.
When it was first suggested to me to take
trip across England on tricycle. looked upon
the matter as joke. First, weighed dan
gerously near 100 pounds; second, had
never In my life mounted either tricycle., BIZ
cycle or vslocipede, and third, knew nothing
Of the roads, had often thought Of a walk
across England. and especially through Dor
set, Devon and Cornwall; but that takes 70
much time. I had often longed for coach
and four with which to dash over the SPLEEN
did roads and through the green winding
lanes Of England, but only inilionaires travel
this way; and had often hoped that some
day might be able to jog over those roads
with q goNl scout horse and trap As for
railroads, I do-pise them az a means OF see
ing England They give no con option OF the
ancient towns AMI antique Villages. the green
hedges thick with wild flowers, its rare bits OF
woodland or Of the stately homes and VIII
iage life. You are rushed along from place
70 place, and can generally rely on passing
through the meanest quarters of the towns
and cities OH the route.
Why not try a tricycle., There was little or
no danger from "headers," as on the bicycle.
The machine has three wheels and will carry
u good weight. And so began to make in
,niries, with view Of ascertnining how far
should be able to ride in n day, tile best ma
chine to use, and such other facts as one seri-
ously interested but utterly ignorant OF what
was before him would naturally want to
know. In regard to the first question vile
difference of opinion exists. One gentleman
q professional cyclist, remarked: III you III
tend to keep 1t up, say for week, you ought
only to do moderate days work Oh the first
day, say 700 or 100 miles"
eyes" replied, "it will be necessary to
restrain my arlor at FIRST for o ly Intend
to cross England from east to west at lis
broadcast point, and 4 very few runs OF l-V
miles will accomplish that task"
Another gentleman, somewhat experienced
in cycling, said fifty miles day was about
right. while my nearest friends thought about
twenty miles day would find me stiff and
tired at a roadside inn. In tho meantime
had found young American journalist, Mr..
Frederic Hart Wilson, OF New York, who
was willing to try the trip OH tandem
machine. Mr.. Wilson is an amateur photog-
raphsr, and proposed to bring his apparatus
with him, and thus enable us to take in
stantaneous photographs along the roads and
byways Of the southern counties OF England.
Having secured a new machine, thoroughly
fitted out with luggage carrier, lamp, tool
bag, etc, It became necessary to purchase an
outfit. couple OF blue flannel shirts, two
pairs Of WOODEN stockings, knee breeches, al
easy fitting blue cloth coat, and two or three
silk handkerchief to tie around the neck
The total cost OF the outfit was SIS. The
next question was the route to travel. We
were both strangers TO the roads OF England,
and certainly did not know the best route
Some one s,' ygrsted cyclists map, but after
inspe,aug some of them concluded thai
good ty maps of each county we in
tended to pass through would answer the pur-
pose best-a conclusion, by the way, have
never regretted. Added to this we continu-
ally asked ourr-icrs Of the country people on
ne road In relation to the roads in the.
ocality. / was frequently struck with tic
rsliabiity OF the information thus obtained.
Il Is we'll to bear this point in mind.
In the matter of luggage we each took q
,hange OF Undertaking, night dress, over
oat light macintosh and the Photographic
apparatus, including tripod
At last the day and the hour had arrived
when was to mount tricycle. for the first
Zine in my life; and what was still worse,
get out OF the city of London on it. The ma
chine was sent up from the Office OF the COM
oany in Holborn to the door Of my lodgings
opposite the British museum, and awaited the
.yclists at the door. l had donned my knee
breeches, long stockings and cyclist ia ket
For the first time in years had abolished
suspendsrs, thrown away starched shirts and
flung my stiff collar into the corner. In their
place was a rubber belt, blue flannel shirt
and silk reckerchief. l stuck to the Amer-
can SLOUGH hat. slipped down those lodging
house stairs on Great Russell street, feeling
like q monumental fraud. To all appearances
might have been a champion cyclist from
America. The muscle was there, the weight
was there, and the costume led the unwn"7
to believe that had been accustomed to the
business from early childhood. knew that
the daughter of the lodging house proprietor
and the rest OF the family would be at the
window to see the start l felt morally cor
tain that the servants would loiter around
The front door, and that grinning buttons
would insist on holding the straps as W.
stoned on the luggage. was not disap-
pointed Nor was this all There was my
anxious wife up stairs. She knew the truth
She knew what hollow mockery was stalk
ing down to the Marlboro tandem" below
One false step and that gentle woman would
T.,